📖John Neff

Wait for the Right Opportunity

🌿 Intermediate★★★★★

Wait for exceptional risk-reward opportunities.

💬

The stock market is a no-called-strike game. You don't have to swing at every pitch. Wait for the fat pitch — the opportunity that offers exceptional risk-reward.

— John Neff on Investing,1999

🏠 Everyday Analogy

Risk control is like a seatbelt. It does not make the ride faster, but it keeps you alive when conditions suddenly turn against you.

📖 Core Interpretation

John Neff treats survival as the first objective. Limiting permanent capital loss, controlling leverage, and avoiding single-point failure are prerequisites for long-term compounding.
💎 Key Insight:Selectivity dramatically improves investment outcomes.

AI Deep Analysis

Get personalized insights and practical guidance through AI conversation

❓ Why It Matters

A single large drawdown can erase years of progress. Risk control is not timidity; it is the operating system that keeps compounding alive.

🎯 How to Practice

Define downside scenarios before entry, cap position size, avoid fragile leverage, and maintain liquidity so mistakes remain survivable.

⚠️ Common Pitfalls

Equating volatility with all forms of risk
Oversized positions without an exit plan
Using leverage to compensate for uncertainty

📚 Case Studies

1
Ford Motor Rebound (1981)
During recession and auto slump, Neff accumulated Ford at high yield and depressed valuation while sentiment was extremely negative.
✨ Outcome:As industry recovered and earnings normalized, stock rerated and dividends plus price gains generated outsized returns.
2
Ford Motor Post-Oil Shock (1974)
After the 1973–74 oil crisis, auto stocks plunged. Neff bought Ford at low P/E with solid dividend and restructuring underway.
✨ Outcome:Ford rebounded strongly as U.S. economy stabilized, delivering market‑beating returns while its valuation normalized.

See how masters handle real scenarios?

30 real investment dilemmas answered by legendary investors

Explore Scenarios →